A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Papilio polymnestor
"Female very similar to the male, but the inter-nervular streaks on the fore wing paler, extended into the cell both on the upper and undersides. Hind wing: the pale blue area on the upperside and the corresponding grey area on the underside paler. In some specimens there is a diffuse short crimson streak at the base of the cell of the fore wing on the upperside." Wikipedia
A beautiful visitor to my garden today. Tamil Nadu, India 'Endemic to India and Sri Lanka. In India it is restricted to the Western Ghats, Southern India and the East coast. It has been recorded as far north as Gujarat. It is often seen even in the gardens and sometimes in the middle of busy traffic in large cities such as Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore.' Wikipedia
The butterfly was quite big, maybe 5 inches from wing-tip to tip. it didn't seem to be too bothered with me getting really close, so I was able to get some good shots. Hmm, maybe a female as it has the red streaks on the shoulder...
Spotted on Jan 28, 2012
Submitted on Jan 28, 2012
9 Comments
Awesome! I think only females have those red streaks on their wings.
Argybee, C Sydes, Not 'putting out anything' special, but a lot of patience and stalking. I have a lot of trees and plants, so I stand in one spot and watch them till they land somewhere, then creep up on them and often take the photo with a zoom, anyway. Spend chunks of time in the garden doing that. A great meditation. I only catch one in fifty for a photo, though! But there are a lot of butterflies at the moment.
This one was so tame and unafraid of me. I could get the camera within 2 feet of it when it landed low down. It sat on this palm frond right outside my door on and off all afternoon. Nice. I kept just going to the door and gazing at it...
Stunning!
You must have an enchanting garden. All your butterflies seem so tame or are you superquick with your camera. My local butterflies are gone before I get to within 2 metres of them
i think the earlier one was female because it's whiter than this one
thanks NuwanChathuranga. Do you think the one I spotted before was a male also? One of the earlier ones I entered.
Amazing pamsai - whatever you are putting out for them must be working.
i think it's male here is my spotting of blue mormon
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/823...
It looks like the Blue Mormon you spotted earlier....
Beautiful!! :)